KABUL - A senior Afghan military official on Sunday said 10,000 Afghan National Army (ANA)’s commandos would assist other security personnel in ensuring security for the runoff presidential election.

Maj. Gen. Syed Abdul Karim, ANA Commando Brigade commander at the Ministry of Defence, told a news conference in Kabul the commandos would help stabilise the security environment so that the people could easily exercise their right to enfranchise. 

He said the 10,000-member strong commando force was comprised of experienced and well-equipped personnel and they were ready to secure the crucial round of presidential elections.

Former World Bank economist Dr. Ashraf Ghani Ahmadzai and former foreign minister Dr. Abdullah Abdullah are locked in the head-to-head runoff race slated for June 14.

“We will serve our soil and all measures will be employed to protect polling centres,” Karim said.

Over the past two weeks, he added, the army commandos had conducted a series of operations in Badakhshan, Kandahar, Helmand, Kunduz, Farah, Herat and Nangarhar province, inflicting heavy casualties on armed rebels. (Pajhwok)